Windows 8.1 Desktop Adoption Up, iOS and Android Still Going Strong As Blackberry Slips

Microsoft’s long-awaited update to its Windows 8 operating system, Windows 8.1, recently landed, and already it’s clear that many users are taking advantage of the free upgrade. According to NetMarketShare’s numbers, Windows 8.1 rose to 1.72% of the desktop OS market share after starting at 0.39% in August (and climbing to 0.87% in September).

Over that same time period, Windows 8’s share rose from 7.41% to 7.53%; granted, in September Windows 8 was up to 8.02%, so Windows 8.1 cannibalized its numbers a bit in October, but overall Microsoft’s latest OS and its update are steadily gaining adoption. In fact, so is Windows 7, even as Windows Vista and Windows XP market share is gradually dropping.

Windows 8.1 market share october 2013
October 2013 (Credit: NetMarketShare)

On the mobile side, iOS is still going strong although its share dropped from 60.13% to 55.39% since December 2012, and Android continues to make gains as its share rose from 24.60% to 30.58% over the same time period.

Mobile OS market share december 2012-october 2013
(Credit: NetMarketShare)

Things aren’t looking so rosy for BlackBerry; after creeping up to 3.26% in September, its market share dipped suddenly to 2.55% in October, and there’s no reason to think that it will trend back up anytime soon.